Iceland in November

By November, Iceland's short summer is a distant memory. Back home the leaves might still be turning, but in Reykjavik it already feels like winter. Days are short, the wind has teeth, and the first snow usually shows up at some point during the month.

That doesn't make it a bad time to come. November has some of the lowest prices of the year, the northern lights season is in full swing, and Reykjavik's biggest music festival happens in the first week of the month. You just need to plan around the dark and the weather.

November weather and daylight

According to the Icelandic Met Office's Reykjavik records for 1991-2020, November averages a high of 4.6°C (40°F) and a low of -0.1°C (32°F). It's one of the wetter months too, with about 87 mm of precipitation, and the city gets only around 40 hours of sunshine in the whole month. Expect a mix of rain, sleet, fog and the odd bright, cold day. Early November is noticeably milder than late November, and the north and east are colder than Reykjavik.

Daylight shrinks fast. On November 1 the sun rises in Reykjavik a little after 9am and sets around 5:10pm. By November 30 it's up at about 10:40am and down before 4pm, which leaves just over five hours of daylight. Iceland doesn't change its clocks, so those times hold year to year. You can check exact times for your dates on timeanddate.com.

Plan your sightseeing around that window. Leave Reykjavik in the dark, arrive at your first stop as it gets light, and aim to be driving home on familiar roads when it gets dark again.

>> more on weather in Iceland

Iceland Airwaves

Iceland Airwaves is the big event of the month. It started as a one-off show in an airplane hangar at Reykjavik Airport in October 1999, and it has been a November festival since the 2014 edition. The 2026 festival runs November 5-7, with extra ticketed shows on the 4th and 8th, in venues all over downtown Reykjavik, from Harpa concert hall to small bars.

If your dates overlap with Airwaves, book your room early. Central Reykjavik fills up and rates jump that week. If you don't care about the music, you might prefer to come the week before or after.

>> more on holidays and events in Iceland

What you can do in November

Surprising to many visitors, most of the same outdoor activities you'd do in summer still run in November. Horseback riding in the cold is pleasant because tour operators hand out warm overall suits. The Golden Circle is still reachable in a small rental car on most days, and there's plenty to fill the short daylight hours:

• Snorkel or dive in Silfra, the fissure in Þingvellir National Park. The water sits at 2-4°C all year and you'll need to go with a licensed operator in a drysuit.
• Walk through a lava tube. Raufarhólshellir, about 30 minutes from Reykjavik, is open daily from 9am to 5pm year-round. A one-hour guided tour costs 8,900 ISK as of 2026.
• Go whale watching. Elding runs its classic whale-watching trip from Reykjavik's Old Harbour all year, including November.
• Hunt for the northern lights. November's long nights give you hours of dark sky, though you'll need a break in the clouds. See viewing the northern lights in Iceland.
• Soak in a pool. Reykjavik's city pools are open all winter, and an adult ticket costs 1,500 ISK as of May 2026. Sitting in a hot pot while sleet falls on your head is a very Icelandic experience. More in hot spring pools in Reykjavik.

What you can't do is reach the interior. Safetravel says the highland F-roads usually close in mid-September and stay shut until June or July. Other unpaved, narrow roads may need a 4WD or may close without warning. Check umferdin.is for live road conditions every morning before you drive, and read our page on driving in Iceland.

If you'd rather not drive on icy roads at all, base yourself in Reykjavik and book a few day tours.

Flights and prices

November is off-season, so flights to Iceland are usually cheaper than in summer, and many hotels, car rental firms and tour companies drop to low-season rates. The Airwaves week is the exception in Reykjavik.

The airline picture has changed a lot since this page was first written. Icelandair is the main carrier from North America and Europe. Iceland Express and WOW air are long gone, and PLAY stopped flying on September 29, 2025. Other international airlines fly to Keflavik too, some only in summer, so check the Keflavik Airport site for who serves your city in November.

A note on Reykjanes

Keflavik Airport and the Blue Lagoon sit on the Reykjanes peninsula, where the Sundhnúkur crater row near Grindavík erupted nine times between December 2023 and August 2025. The most recent eruption ran from July 16 to August 5, 2025, and the Icelandic Met Office says magma is still building up. There's no telling when the next one comes, so check Safetravel's Reykjanes page before you head to the Blue Lagoon or Grindavík.

What to pack

Pack for winter: a warm, waterproof jacket, a hat, gloves, and waterproof boots with good grip. Layers beat one heavy coat, because you'll be moving between cold wind, warm cafes and hot pools all day. Bring a swimsuit.

>> more on what to wear in Iceland in fall and what to wear in Iceland in winter

>> see also Iceland in October, Iceland in December and Iceland in fall

Photo by fiahless